9 Essential Steps To Plan A Great Corporate Party

Make your corporate party memorable with these great tips!

Corporate parties are a great way to show your staff how much you appreciate them. From holiday festivities to the celebration of a milestone, companies have tons of opportunities to get together and have fun. You want your corporate party to be a wonderful, memorable experience for your team. That’s why Riverview Recreation Park has put together this guide. We want your company gathering to be a success.

Set A Budget For Your Corporate Party

In nearly any party planning, the budget is the first place you need to start. If you haven’t determined what you’re able to spend on your corporate party, it’s incredibly easy to either spend way too much become tempted to underspend. After all, you don’t want to kill the fun of a great corporate party with a financial fallout later.

Set a budget for your corporate party venue, catering, entertainment and activities, and any parting gifts that you may want to give. By having a set budget – and sticking to it – you can be certain your corporate party will be a success without the financial downer later.

Set Your Corporate Party In A Memorable Event Venue

The best corporate party is going to need a great event venue. Depending on the time of year and weather in your area, a beautiful, expansive, outdoor event venue might be the best choice. Often, outdoor venues have fewer restrictions and more room for your activities.

No matter the nature of the venue you choose, make sure it can both accommodate your corporate party guests and leave a memorable impression. Choose a place that has enough space, can fit any accessibility needs, and can offer something unique to your corporate party. Don’t forget to make sure it fits your budget, too!

Decide If You Will Have A Family-Friendly Corporate Party

When you’re planning your corporate party, you need to take into consideration who your staff is made up of. Do you have a company full of young, single people (like many startups), slightly older families, or a mix of age and family dynamics?

Choose a setting that fits the group mix you have. If most of your staff have a family, it might be a better idea to create a corporate party environment that is ready for children and teens. However, if your company is mostly made of people without children, that might be a good opportunity to plan an adult-oriented party.

Either way, make sure you make the choice that’s going to encourage most of your staff to attend.

Choose Entertainment That’s Corporate Party Friendly

Any great corporate party needs entertainment. From musicians to variety acts, there are tons of options for your event. Look for entertainment that’s going to work for your staff. Maybe a live band playing through the event would be more appropriate than a magician or dance company. And remember if you’ve chosen a family-friendly event that your entertainment will need to know that. Otherwise, their act might include content that the kids shouldn’t hear.

Your Corporate Party Should Have Food That’s Appealing

People tend to gather around food. That’s where great stories are shared, laughs are had, and friendships are made. Nobody ever disagrees over a good meal. That’s why you must choose food that’s going to whet your guest’s appetite.

Choose a caterer that specializes in menus suited for a corporate party. Make sure they can operate in the event venue without a problem. The caterer should be capable of delivering menu options for common dietary restrictions (like allergies). Most importantly, the caterer needs to know what kind of food will work best for the kind of event you’re hosting.

Plan Activities That Will Liven Your Corporate Party

With large groups of people, it can be difficult to keep everyone entertained. One of the best ways to provide extra fun for your corporate party is to add extra activities. Things like photo booths, karaoke, or games can offer your staff entertainment options to keep the party going.

Choose some extra activities that offer creativity and fun beyond your entertainers. These extra options will give your staff some extra bonding time during your corporate party. These activities also give them some variety, allowing them a break from the general party schedule.

Set Your Corporate Party On A Convenient Date

For company milestones, like product launches or anniversaries, the day you choose for your corporate party may not be much of an issue. However, when it comes to planning a holiday corporate party, the date you choose should keep in mind the traditions around your office.

Try to choose a date that doesn’t interfere with individual staff members’ mandatory holiday days. Any corporate party is better when all your staff can attend. And, as a bonus, when you take your team’s needs into consideration, you build some extra loyalty and appreciation.

Avoid Too Much “Business Talk” During Your Corporate Party

When you hold your corporate party, it might be tempting to take advantage of having everyone together to discuss or announce important information. But remember your staff is there for fun. You’re going to want to keep the business talk to a minimum, only making the announcements that really are necessary. Also, try to avoid any negative announcements. It’s probably best to make those before your corporate party, allowing the festivities to soften the feelings associated with those announcements.

Double-Check The Parking Availability At Your Corporate Party’s Event Venue

If you’ve taken the time to choose the right event venue, you’ve already checked out the parking and made sure it was adequate. The last thing you want is to put a damper on the party by forcing people to have to walk a long distance to their cars.

However, as your corporate party approaches, you ought to double-check with the venue to make sure no problems or changes have arisen. Anything from weather to maintenance can change a parking situation, so it’s best to reconfirm a few days before the party. That will give you time to discuss alternatives in the event something has changed.

Your Corporate Party Should Be Memorable And Fun

With all the planning you put into your corporate party, you should judge its success on how much fun your staff had and how much they talk about it when they return to work. Follow the tips Riverview Recreation Park has put together and your corporate party will definitely make your staff happy.